Light In The Attic looks to Japan for new archival series

The reissue label is planning dozens of releases that survey the country's rock, city pop and ambient legacies.

Light In The Attic has announced its Japan Archival Series, starting off in October with a various artists collection called Even A Tree Can Shed Tears: Japanese Folk & Rock 1969-1973.

The Seattle label, which has reissued everyone from Rodriguez to Betty Davis and This Heat, will start off its Japan series with a few collections—the folk and rock set mentioned above, as well Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1975-1985 and Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990. There are "dozens" more releases planned for the series, including a "special project involving one of the most respected and influential artists in Japan," the label says.

The Japan Archival Series comes in the midst of a wave of interest in Japanese music, evidenced by Chee Shimizu's recent More Better Days compilation, Palto Flats' Mariah and Midori Takada reissues as well as Rush Hour's recent focus on Japanese music from the '80s.

Check out Kazuhiko Kato's "Arthur Hakase No Jinriki Hikouki," off Even A Tree Can Shed Tears: Japanese Folk & Rock 1969-1973.